Vertical rolling mill



Dec. 7, 1954 E. T. PETERsoN VERTICAL ROLLING MILL 5 sheet's-sheet 1 Filed Nov. 19, 1949 INVENTOR M7' Dec. 7, 1954 Filed Nov. 19. 1949 E. T. PETERSON VERTICAL ROLLING MILL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 C) as i Z5 6 o o 87o o o lNvEN-roR Zf/IJ. www

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INVENTOR United States Patent C) 2,696,131 j vnnrreALnoLLrNo MrLn EdwardT. Peterson, ReadingPa., assignontoirdsboro Steel, Foundry and Machine Company B1rdsboroPa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 19, 1949,: Serial No.12 8,37 7 y 4 Claims.l (Cpl. l807-56) The present invention relates to vertical'. rolling mills, and especially to those which are employedvm-r train alternatively with horizontal. rollingl mills.

Apurpose of the inventionis to provide directmotor drive on vertical. .shafts carrying. .the rollingim1ll rolls, the`rnotors being located respectively one yabove and one below the corresponding rolls..

A further purpose is to mount the shaft-iandmotor above; one of the rolls stationary with respect to .translation inthe main frame.`

A `further purpose is to provide relative verticalv and` horizontal adjustment between units of ay verticalrrolle ing mill, veach unit consisting of .one of .the rolls anda 'directly-connected vertical. shaft and motor..

vA further purpose is to'l mount. the .vertical shaft .of 011el roll and the motor thereof below theY same in-` a housing and to make the housing verticallyadjus'table and/or horizontally adjustable with respect to thev other roll.

A further purpose isto provide wings at the opposite sides. of the housing, to guide the wings for horizontal adjustment, preferably over horizontal 'surfaces'y of Wedges, and to providev adjustmentv of: the positiony of the housing by sliding thewings along the guides.

`rA' further purpose is` to provide wedge adjustment' beneath the wings and preferably to coordinate the ad-` justment ofthe wedges at both. sides.

A further purpose is to place'hold-down wedges above A thewings and to adjust the hold-downwedgesto lock the .wings in adjusted positionv for `anyposition ofthe main adjustment wedges.

A further purpose is tovadjust the main .frame hori-. zontally.Y on guides, while `at theA same timeadj,usting the housingl with, respect tothe main frame both horizontallyl and vertically.

A further lpurpose is to provide a `horizontally ad.. justable carriage having a .vertically adjustable top .carriagekfor engaging and supporting that roll supported at thelower end of its shaft.

A further purpose is to provide` a fork onl the top carriage to receive the roll.

Furtherl purposes appear the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate; one,.on1y

in the specicationand in of the numerous embodiments in which my invention may appear, selecting the form shown fronrthe, standpoints of 'convenience in illustration, satisfactory operation and clear demonstration of the principles i11- volve'd.

Figure 1 is a side elevatiompartly in lhalf section.of a vertical rolling mill embodying the principlesy of the invention.

Figure 2 is a section of Figure 1 on the..line2l-2, omitting the carriage for clarity.v

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged section, of Figure 1 on the line 3 3.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlargedsectionof lFigure 3 on the line 4 4.

Figurev 5 ris an enlarged fragmentaryplan ofgthe car.- riage and fork mechanism.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of Figure `5.

Figure 7 is a section of Figure6 on thelline ,7-f7.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary, section of Figuret on .the line 8 8. p 'i Describing in` illustration,` but not in-:lixnitation-;and referring to the drawings:

It islcommon practice 1n-rol1ing steel1to-vary;thegdif;

n 2,696,131 Patented. Dec- 7., :1.95.4-

Mice

In rolling plainy carbonsteel or .other comparatively' soft stock, continuousfrolling can .-'be achieved von horizontal .mills by inserting devices/known as twisters between individual' roll stands whichwill, vat proper points, turn the stock on. its... own axis through about beforel it enters `the nextL roll-stand.y In 'stainless steels and high alloyA steels the ducltility at hot working temperature is not sufficient `tomake they employment of twisters good pactice, and personnel has-.been'.pro` vided between each individual roll-stand vtcl-grip.,.and twist the forward end ofthe stock before feedigfit into the .nextl pass.

To avoid this procedure, alternate roll .stands have been provided which are horizontal in .one lset and. verticalk in the next set, thus avoiding thenecessity of twisting between passes. The present invention is'. concernedI particularly with verticalroll stands, which. are especially/suited for use in such rolling mills, although it maybe employed wherever verticalv mills. are used.

Inthe prior art, the vertical roll` stands. employed have been very complex,l driving, fr oin` remote motors through horizontal or .inclined shafts yand ,bevel gears, with provision of splines or other specialmeans for adjustment. Inwaccordance with the present invention the construction of the Vertical rollstand Vis greatly simplied, eliminatingthe necessity for complex driving gearing,r andrpermitting. directconnection between Ithe motors and the rolls.

In accordance with the present invention eachof the rollsis directly connected. to itsshaft and'. each shaft is directly connected to its motor, one of the shafts extending above the roll to its motor located above, and theA other shaft'extendingbelow its roll' to its motor located below.` Thus no gearing isl requiredl between either motor and its roll.y .f

The rolls ontheother hand are ,made both horizontally and vertically relatively adjustable, andthe entire assembly is also made horizontally adjustable.A-V

The horizontal and vertical adjustment of one, roll withl respect to the` other ispreferably accomplished by mounting; the adjustable roll, its shaft and its motor in a housing, and guiding the housing for horizontal motion, and mounting it for verticalyadjustment. The housing is preferably provided at both sides with wings which are horizontally guidedh preferably on the hori-- zontal surfaces of wedges, and arevertically Aadjusted by main wedges, and .held in adjusted. position'l by holddown wedges.

Removal'of the roll positioned atsthe bottom ofA its shaft isrfacilitated .by a carriagemovable horizontally on a track vand having a top carriage movable vertically and also preferably having a fork extending horizontally on the top carriage.

The vertical. roll stand, vin accordance with the` present invention, is supportedfrom a foundationllll by a horizontally extending bed 21 having parts spaced on either sidefof. a well 22, into which depending `portions. of the mechanism can` extend. The bed 21 hasA horizontally extending rails or guides 23 (best seen in Figure 1) on which rest cooperatingshoes and horizontalradjustment surfaces 24 of a main frame 25. Underneaththe rails 23 a shoulder 26 is engaged by` a hold-downV strip 27. on the frame to prevent unintended separation, of, the main frame from the rails.

Themain frame. 25 hasan upright, Ztl and a vertically recessed Vforward extension .30. v Theforward extension 30 provides a nut31 l (Figure 2) whichcooperateswith anadjustment. screw 32- having bearing support: at 33 fon the` bedand provided with packing 34. It will be evident that by turning the adjustment screw 32.-the entire frame, andg the. rolls, .shaftsgandg motors; to .bev later. described, supported thereon, .is moved horizontally back and-.forth for the purpose of aligning the roll-stand with the adjoining roll stands of the mill.

The roll-stand comprises two cooperating rolls and 36 on vertical axes and having any suitable grooving (not shown) as desired. The roll 35 is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured on the lower end of a vertical shaft 37 rotatably mounted in a stationary portion 33 of the main frame, and having bearing support at 46 near the bottom and at 4l near the top. Suitably keyed or otherwise secured on the shaft is a fly wheel 42 in a lly wheel housing 43, and above the fly wheel also directly connected to the shaft 37 is an electric motor 44. lt will be evident that the roll 35, the shaft 37 and the motor 44 turn in bearings mounted in the main frame, but as far as translation is concerned these parts are stationary with respect to the main frame.

The recessed front extension 30 of the main frame carries a housing 45 which is movable in the main frame. ln the housing 45 a vertical shaft 46, rotatably supported by bearings 47 near the top and by bearings 4S lower down, carries the roll 36 at the upper end. Below the bearing 48 a fly wheel 50 in a housing 51 is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft. Below and depending from the fly wheel housing 51 is located an electric motor 5 2 directly connected to the shaft 46, Thus it will be evident that the rolling mill roll 36, the shaft 46 and the motor 52 are stationary with respect to the housing as far as translation is concerned but rotate in the bearings 47 and 4S in the housing.

At the two sides the housing is provided with straight horizontal wings 53, best seen in Figures 1 and 3. The two sides are opposite counter parts. The main frame at each side has a longitudinally and horizontally extending bench 54 below each wing, to which bench is rigidly secured (as by welding) a stationary wedge 55, thus providing effectively a wedged upper surface of the main frame above the bench. Between each wing 53 and each stationary wedge 55 is a main adjustment wedge 56 having an inclined lower surface 57 cooperating with the stationary wedge and a horizontal longitudinally extending upper guide surface 58 which provides a horizontal upwardly extending guide face for the wing immediately above.

The main adjustment wedges 56 at the opposite sides of the machine are threadedly connected at their outer ends with adjustment screws 60, which are inclined and have axes parallel to the wedge faces S7. The screws 6b carry worm wheels 6l suitably keyed or otherwise fastened on each screw. The worm wheels intel-gear with worms 62 on a transverse adjustment shaft 63 (Figure 4) rotatably supported at the ends in bearings 64 and having adjustment nuts 65 at the ends for wrench engagement. Thus on rotation of the adjustment shaft both screws 6i) can be adjusted in unison. The screws Gt) are provided with packing 66 and mounted on bearings 67 (Figure 3). Adjustment nuts 63 for wrench contact are provided at the ends of the screws.

Above each wing 53 is a stationary wedge keeper 70 secured to the main frame, extending longitudinally, and

having guiding engagement with the housing at the top at 71. Between the stationary wedge keeper 7) at each side and the corresponding wing 53 is a movable hold down wedge 72 having a horizontal bottom face 73 and a wedge upper face 74 engaging the stationary Wedge keeper '71?. Each movable hold down wedge 72 makes threaded connection with a hold down adjustment screw 75 which is rotatably supported in a bearing 76, which is provided with packing 77 and which carries at its outer end an adjustment nut 78 for engagement by a wrench. The screws 75 are on an axis parallel to the wedge faces 71.

lt will be evident that when the adjustment screws 60 are tightened they exert longitudinal pressure against their bearings to force the main adjustment wedges away from the outer end of the main frame extension 30, and likewise when the hold down adjustment screws 75 are tightened they exert pressure against their bearing 76 to force the movable hold down wedges away from the outer end of the main frame extension 50.

When the hold down wedges are loosened, the housing can be adjusted longitudinally over the guide upper surfaces 58 of the main adjustment wedges. For this purpose an adjustment screw 80 is threadedly secured in a nut 81 in the main frame extension 30, and rotatably sockets at 82 in the housing, to hold the end of the screw in the housing. An adjustment nut 83 is provided at the outer end on the screw 80.

For the purpose of changing the roll 35, which as located in the roll stand is inaccessible to the crane above the operating floor, a bottom carriage S4 is provided, operating in a recess 85 formed at the back of the main frame in line with the roll 35. The bottom carriage 84 has wheels 86 (Figures 5, 6 and 8) which engage in suitably channel-shaped horizontally extending tracks 87 at the bottom of the recess 85. The anges of the track channels face toward one another as shown. The bottom carriage S4 mounts a suitably pneumatic cylinder and piston 8S on a vertical axis, and the piston carries at its upper end a top carriage 90 which is suitably guided for vertical motion by extensions 91 operating in guides 92 (Figure 7) on the bottom carriage. The top carriage 90 carries a horizontal beam 93 which is secured thereto at 94, and the beam is provided with a bifurcated semicircular forward end 95 which in its inner position engages immediately below the roll 35, taking the weight of the roll and permitting the roll to be lowered until it has been removed from the shaft 37, by lowering the piston. The carriage can then be moved bodily on the track until the hook of the crane can be brought in contact with the roll.

In operation it will be understood that once the rollstand is assembled, it will initially be aligned with the adjoining roll-stands by moving the adjustment screw 32 in the desired direction.

For correct adjustment of the rolling surfaces on the cooperating rolls( there may be several different surfaces for use at different times, or the surfaces may require adjustment with wear), the procedure is first to loosen up on both hold-down wedges by loosening the adjustment screws 75. Horizontal adjustment in either direction can then be made by moving the adjustment screw Si). lf desired, vertical adjustment can be made by moving the adjustment screws titl, moving the main adjustment wedges in either direction as required. The structure is made rigid again once the housing has assumed the correct position by tightening the hold-down wedges by tightening adjustment screws 75.

The hold-down wedges are tightened individually and therefore they can be made tight notwithstanding wear.

In operation of the bottom carriage, the bottom carriage is moved inwardly to a position in which the fork is immediately below the roll 35 and the bottom carriage cylinder energized by compressed air or other iiuid until the fork supports the roll. The nut or other securing means at the bottom of the shaft 37 is removed and the roll lowered by releasing pressure from the cylinder so that the fork and top carriage can lower sufficiently to clear the lower end of the shaft 37. The bottom carriage is then pulled out to the right in Figure 2 until the roll 35 can be picked up by the hook of the crane. The roll 36 is removed directly by engagement by the crane.

It will be evident that according to the invention the mechanism is made much more simple and compact than the prior art by directly connecting each roll, shaft and motor together and by adjusting one roll, shaft and motor vertically and horizontally relative to the other.

In View of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and i, therefore, claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a vertical rolling mill, cooperating lirst and second rolls on vertical axes, a irst shaft extending vertically and rotatably supporting the rst roll at its lower end, a main frame, bearings in the main frame rotatably supporting the first shaft stationarily in regards to translation with respect to the main frame, a first motor directly connected with said first shaft, rigidly connected to the main frame and positioned above the rst roll on the first shaft, a second shaft extending vertically and rotatably supporting the second roll at its upper end, a housing having horizontal wings on opposite sides, bearings in the housing rotatably supporting the second shaft, a second` motor directly connected with said second shaft and mounted in the housing below the second roll on the second shaft, horizontal guides under the wings, and a screw adjustment extending between the main frame and the housing and acting to move the housing, the second shaft, the second motor and the second roll horizontally along the guides.

2. ln a vertical rolling mill, cooperating first and second rolls on vertical axes, a iirst shaft extending vertically and rotatably supporting the irst roll at its lower end, a main frame, bearings in the main frame rotatably supporting the first shaft stationarily in regards to translation with respect to the main frame, a first motor directly connected with said rst shaft, rigidly connected to the main frame and positioned above the rst roll on the rst shaft, a second shaft extending vertically and rotatably supporting the second roll at its upper end, a housing having horizontal wings on opposite sides, bearings in the housing rotatably supporting the second shaft, a second motor directly connected with said second shaft and mounted in the housing below the second roll on the second shaft, relatively movable and stationary wedges beneath the wings at each side and adjustment means for moving the wedges horizontally and thereby moving the housing, second shaft, second motor and second roll vertically.

3. In a vertical rolling mill, cooperating first and second rolls on vertical axes, a first shaft extending vertically and rotatably supporting the first roll at its lower end, a main frame, bearings in the main frame rotatably supporting the rst shaft stationarily in regards to translation with respect to the main frame, a first motor directly connected with said first shaft, rigidly connected to the main frame and positioned above the first roll on the rst shaft, a second shaft extending vertically and rotatably supporting the second roll at its upper end, a housing having horizontal wings on opposite sides, bearings in the housing rotatably supporting the second shaft, a second motor directly connected with said second shaft and mounted in the housing below the second roll on the second shaft, wedge keepers extending above the wings in spaced relation and secured to the main frame, hold-down wedges extending above the wings and below the wedge keepers, screw adjustments extending from the main frame to the hold-down wedges for adjusting the same, cooperating pairs of stationary and movable wedges beneath the wings, one Wedge of each pair being supported on the main frame, and screw adjustments extending from the main frame to the movable wedges.

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4. In a vertical rolling mill, cooperating iirst and second rolls on vertical axes, a rst shaft extending vertically and rotatably supporting the rst roll at its lower end, a main frame, bearings in the main frame rotatably supporting the rst shaft stationarily in regards to translation with respect to the main frame, a rst motor directly connected with said first shaft, rigidly mounted on the main frame and positioned above the first roll on the first shaft, a second shaft extending vertically and rotatably supporting the second roll at its upper end, a housing having horizontal wings on opposite sides, bearings in the housing rotatably supporting the second shaft, a second motor directly connected with said second shaft and mounted in the housing below the second roll on the second shaft, stationary wedges on the main frame extending longitudinally in spaced relation beneath the wings, movable wedges between the stationary wedges and the wings and having horizontal surfaces engaging the bottoms of the wings, adjustments extending from the main frame to the movable wedges, keeper Wedges extending longitudinally of the wings on the main frame above the wings and in spaced relation thereto, hold-down wedges extending longitudinally of the wings between the keeper wedges and the wings and having horizontal lower surfaces, Vertical adjustments extending from the main frame to the hold-down wedges and horizontal adjustments extending from the main frame to the housing to shift the housing and the second shaft, second motor and second roll carried thereby horizontally along the main movable wedges.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 276,177 Harty Apr. 24, 1883 966,089 George Aug. 2, 1910 1,004,771 Gibbons Oct. 3, 1911 1,543,649 Bode June 23, 1925 1,654,235 Biggert, Ir., et al Dec. 27, 1927 1,760,278 Newln et al May 27, 1930 2,037,210 Buente Apr. 14, 1936 2,047,509 Iverson July 14, 1936 2,066,743 Schreck et al. Ian. 5, 1937 2,213,714 Mekeel et al Sept. 3, 1940 2,240,362 Backhaus Apr. 29, 1941 

